The Hindu : 10 CRPC companies coming for Saidapet poll

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 22, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

10 CRPC companies coming for Saidapet poll

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI May 21. The Election Commission has ordered despatch of 10 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force to the Saidapet Assembly constituency here for the May 31 byelection. But the Central paramilitary forces will not be deployed in Acharapakkam and Vaniyambadi, where also byelections are scheduled for that day.

The Tamil Nadu Government today received a Home Ministry communication on the deployment in Saidapet alone.

The EC directive to the Centre to despatch the paramilitary forces follows a plea by the DMK and the PMK, which wanted the Central forces provided in all the three constituencies.

When contacted, the State Chief Electoral Officer, Mrutunjay Sarangi, confirmed that the CRPF companies would arrive in Saidapet. Asked why the Central forces were not ordered deployed in the other two constituencies, he merely said it was an EC decision.

Video cameras for observers

Three Central observers would be posted in each of the constituencies and they would be provided with video cameras for capturing polling scenes, he said.

Besides, one zonal party for every 10 polling stations in the three constituencies, in Saidapet, where polling would be held in 264 stations, about 20 zonal parties would be posted.

In Saidapet and Vaniyambadi, where more than 16 candidates are in the fray, two electronic voting machines would be used in each polling station, while in Acharapakkam, where only 14 are contesting, only one EVM would be provided for each station.

The Home Secretary, Naresh Gupta, said recently that three Tamil Nadu Special Police companies would be posted in Acharapakkam and Vaniyambadi. The Chennai Police Commissioner, K.Vijaykumar, had said four companies of the Tamil Nadu Special Police would be on duty in Saidapet.

DGP warning

Meanwhile, the Director-General of Police, B.P. Nailwal, today warned that stern action would be taken against any group involving in ``organised bogus voting''.

Speaking to mediapersons here, Mr. Nailwal said security arrangements had been made to ensure that the elections were peaceful.

The State police had sufficient strength for handling the law and order situation and any additional force from the Centre was not necessary, the DGP said.

Specific complaints of bogus voting could be brought to the notice of the presiding officers. If there was any information of groups moving about or if they were found staying at any particular place with intent to cast bogus votes or disrupting the poll process, the police would take action, the DGP said.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Check the anti-people regime: DMK

10 CRPC companies coming for Saidapet poll

Security vigil stepped up for Jayalalithaa

All set for professional course admissions

Homage paid to Rajiv

DVAC raid unearths deep-rooted malady in RTO

Wildlife population healthy at Top Slip